International Journal of Agricultural

Science and Research (IJASR)

ISSN(P): 2250-0057; ISSN(E): 2321-0087
Vol. 6, Issue 3, Jun 2016, 251-258
TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

SOIL LOSS ESTIMATION THROUGH MATHEMATICAL

MODELS USING GIS AND RS TECHNIQUES
SHWETHA G, B. MAHESHWARA BABU, G. V. SRINIVAS REDDY,
K. T. ARUNA & U. K. SHANWAD
Department of Soil and Water Engineering, College of Agricultural
Engineering, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, Karnataka, India
ABSTRACT
Understanding the relationship between land attributes and soil erosion processes is very important as the
resource conservation and developmental programmes are being taken up increasingly on watershed basis. This research
integrates the MUSLE within a Geographic Information System (GIS) environment to investigate the spatial distribution
of annual soil loss potential in the Timmapur watershed of Raichur Taluk. Both magnitude and spatial distribution of
potential soil erosion in the catchment is determined GIS data layers including, Runoff and Peak Runoff (Q and Qp), soil
erodability (K), slope length and steepness (LS), cover management (C) and conservation practice (P) factors were

the topographic factor was developed from a Digital Elevation Model (DEM); the K factor was determined from a
combination of the soil map and the geological map; and the land cover factor was generated from IRS LISS III images.
The resultant map of annual soil erosion shows a maximum soil loss of 77.49 t h-1 y-1.
KEYWORDS: MUSLE, RS and GIS, Watershed, Kirpich, Williams, Time of Concentration

Original Article

computed to determine their effects on average annual soil loss. The runoff factor was obtained using SCS-CN method,

Received: Apr 23, 2016; Accepted: May 07, 2016; Published: May 11, 2016; Paper Id.: IJASRJUN2016030

INTRODUCTION
Soil degradation and erosion are insidious processes, not readily apparent to farmers until the effects are
severe and irreversible (Cleaver and Shrieber, 1995) and a threat to long-term soil productivity (Bhattacharyya,
2007; Narain, 2008). Increasing requirements of land and waterby rapidly growing population has resulted in over
exploitation of natural resources that has inflicted severe damage to soil environment.
RS and GIS techniques were earlier incorporated while developing a rainfall-runoff model for the Bebas
river basin in Madhya Pradesh, India, by Nayak and Jaiswal (2003). Sensitivity analysis for the LC parameter in
SCS-CN method was carried out using GIS by Nagaraj and Yaragal (2008). Another integrated study was
performed by Liu and Li (2008) for the estimation of runoff from a small watershed in the Loess Plateau of China,
who found the precision of the model to be more than 75%.
Land use (LU) is defined as the area of land used by human beings and land cover (LC) is the natural
cover over the surface of the earth. Information about LU/LC is essential for planning any developmental activities
and for monitoring and management of natural resources such as water, forest, and soil. LC pattern, with regard to
both space and time variations, is a function of societal characteristics and qualifies as one of the major
consequences of human intervention on any landscape (Joshi and Gairola 2004).

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Shwetha G, B. Maheshwara Babu, G. V. Srinivas

Reddy, K. T. Aruna & U. K. Shanwad

MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY

Study Area
The present hydrological study has been carried out for a Timmapur watershed of Raichur District (Figure 1) lies
between 1615 and 1630 N latitude and 77 15 and 77 30 E longitude with an area of 101.34 Sq. kms. It is covered in
Survey of India (SoI) topo sheets 54 H/7 and 54 H/4.
Data Used
The present research was carried out using both conventional data and remotely sensed data in addition to ground
truth data collected during field visits; the details of the data products are given in Table 1.
Base Map
A base map was prepared using SoI topo sheets, by extracting major rivers, road networks, important ground
control points, contour and latitude and longitude details of the study area. This map was used to generate thematic maps.
(Figure 2)
LU/LC Map
Land use and land cover mapping of the Timmapur watershed was carried out by following standard methods of
analysis of remotely sensed data, like digital image processing (DIP) supported by ground truth collection. DIP of the
satellite data, preparation of various thematic maps and their interpretation were carried out. (Figure 3)
Soil Map
Soil map of the study area was prepared using thematic map from KSRSAC with 1:50,000 scale and map was
georeferenced and projected. By overlaying the watershed boundary on to thematic map, area of different soil classes were
digitized.Three different classes of soils were digitized in the study area namely fine soil, fine loamy soil, and loamy
skeletal soils and the map was prepared by exporting it from Arc GIS. (Figure 4)
SCS Curve Number Model
SCS rainfall runoff model, developed by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides an empirical
relationship estimating initial abstraction and runoff as a function of soil type and land use. To estimate the curve number,
depth of rainfall the land use/land cover and soil map were integrated.
Table 1: Basic Data Products used for the Study
Sl. No
1

Data Collection
Toposheets
(56H/7 and 56H/3)

Source of Data
SoI, Bangalore

Digital Elevation Model

(DEM)

Remote sensing image

Soil map

Bhuvan website,
(NRSC, Hyderabad)
(http://bhuvan.nrsc.gov.in)
Bhuvan website,
(NRSC, Hyderabad)
KSRSAC, GoK, Bangalore.

Rainfall data

MARS, UAS Raichur

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.7987

Purpose
To prepare watershed base map,
contour map, drainage network map
To prepare watershed slope map,
flow direction map, flow
accumulation map
To prepare LU/LC map and NDVI
map of the study area
To obtain soil information
To estimate runoff depth and peak
rate of runoff

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Soil Loss Estimation through Mathematical Models using GIS and RS Techniques

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Estimation of Soil Loss

Annual soil loss of the study area was estimated using MUSLE model and the procedure followed is explained in
the following section.
MUSLE Model
The MUSLE model is used for calculation of soil loss. The equation used was

A = 11.8 (Q Q p ) 0.56 K LS C P

(1)

Where
A = Annual soil loss (t km-2 yr-1)
Q = Runoff volume (mm3)
Qp = Peak discharge in cubic metres per second (m3 s-1)
K = Soil erodability factor
L = Slope length factor
S = Slope steepness factor
C = Cover and management factor and
P = Supporting conservation practice factor
The peak discharge (Qp) was calculated through the equation

Qp =

(0.208 A Q)
(0.5 D + 0.6 t c )

(2)

Where
A = Basin size (km2)
Q = Depth of runoff (mm)
D = Duration of storm in hours, assumed as 24 hours, and
tc = Concentration time in hours calculated through standard formulae
Time of concentration was calculated with two well-known equations, the Kirpich equation and the Williams
equation.
Kirpich Equation

(3)

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254

Shwetha G, B. Maheshwara Babu, G. V. Srinivas

Reddy, K. T. Aruna & U. K. Shanwad

Williams Equation

(4)
Where
A = Basin size (km2)
S = Average channel slope (m m-1)
L = Length of channel from divide to outlet (km)

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

RS and GIS are effective in integrated studies involving series of overlay analysis. The LU/LC features play a
major role in the estimation of runoff using the SCS-CN method. For the present study the annual runoff from watershed
obtained is 18.16 mm. LU/LC, soil series, drainage length, and time of concentration are some of the key factors in soil
loss estimation using the MUSLE. Soil loss values estimated through MUSLE using the Kirpich formula of time of
concentration are higher than those obtained with the Williams equation. It is seen through the comparison of the soil loss
values that the difference in results obtained is larger when the drainage lengths are longer and the results are closer for
micro-watersheds with shorter drainage lengths. It is clear from the table that the time of concentration estimated using the
Williams formula is much higher than that estimated using the Kirpich formula for a higher value of drainage length. This
is due to a linear relationship between drainage length and time of concentration in the Williams formula.
Table 2: Estimated Soil Loss using MUSLE Model
Musle Factors
K
0.26

L.S
2.69

C
0.65

P
0.34

Time of
Concentration(min)
Kirpich
Williams
382.56
623.39

Peak Discharge
(m3s-1)
Kirpich
Williams
1.58
0.99

Soil Loss
(t ha-1yr-1)
Kirpich
Williams
77.49
59.66

CONCLUSIONS
The study reveals that remotely sensed data and GIS based approach in evaluation of drainage morphometric
parameters and their influence on landforms, soils and eroded land characteristics at river basin level is more appropriate
than the conventional methods.
Estimated annual soil loss using kirpich time of concentration (382.56 min) and Williams time of concentration
(623.39 min) is 77.49 t ha-1 yr-1 and 59.66 t ha-1 yr-1 respectively. It shows that study area is coming under severe soil
erosion class as erosion range is 40-80 t ha-1 yr-1. So it is suggested that soil erosion control measures like contour
cultivation, field bunding, deep ploughing along with agronomic practices like crop rotation and mixed cropping can be
adopted on very gently to gently sloping land units like plateau top, foot slopes, undulating land and valley to control the
downstream erosion/off site erosion.
REFERENCES
1.

Cleaver K, and Schrieber, G. A, 1995, Reversing the spiral: the population, agriculture and environment Nexus in SubSaharan Africa. Washington DC: World Bank

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.7987

NAAS Rating: 3.53

Soil Loss Estimation through Mathematical Models using GIS and RS Techniques
2.

255

Bhattacharyya, T., Ram Babu Sarkar, D., Mandal C, Dhyani BL, and Nagar AP, 2007, Soil loss and crop productivity model in
humid subtropical India. Current Science, 93:13971403.

3.

Nayak, T.R. and Jaiswal, R.K., 2003, Rainfall-runoff modeling using satellite data and GIS for Bebas River in Madhya
Pradesh., J. Inst. Eng. India, 84:4750.

4.

Liu and Li,2008, Application of SCS model in estimation of runoff from small watershed in Loess Plateau of China. J.China
Geogr. Sci., 8(3):235241.

5.

Nagaraj, M.K. and Yaragal, S.C., 2008, Sensitivity of land cover parameter in runoff estimation using GIS. J. Hydr.
Eng.,14(1):4151.

6.

Joshi, P.K. and Gairola, S.,2004, Land cover dynamics in Garhwal Himalayas sub watershed. J. Indian Soc. Remote Sensing,
32(2):199208.

APPENDICES

Figure 1: Location Map of the Study Area

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Shwetha G, B. Maheshwara Babu, G. V. Srinivas

Reddy, K. T. Aruna & U. K. Shanwad

Figure 2: Base Map of Timmapur Watershed

Figure 3: Land Use/Land Cover Map of Timmapur Watershed by Supervised Classification

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Figure 4: Soil map of Timmapur Watershed

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